Sakura Petals
by theDoctorlies
Summary: Short stories revolving around love and such with multiple pairings.
1. Azure

Drabble One

Title: Azure

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me, and I am not getting paid to write little dribs and drabs like this. I merely like to show off my creativity. grins

Summary: When it's everything and nothing to do with paint and eyebrows. GaaNaru

A/N: I came up with this joke where my eyebrows were supposedly painted on, as well as my pants, and somehow Gaara came to mind. I'm not trying to poke fun at his lack of eyebrows - frankly, I love Gaara - so sorry if any of you Gaara fans are offended. I chose this pairing to carry out my inner musings merely because Naruto-kun is a goofball (I love him, too). The title is random and has nothing to do with the story.

* * *

The paintbrush moved easily over the paper, spreading blue-black paint on the soft white. Kohl-lined green eyes followed the movements, along with the tanned hand that was holding the brush. He was quietly fascinated by the way the paint contrasted against the stark-white paper, in comparison to the painter's skin and his own: tan to deathly pale.

Everything about them contrasted darkly. The painter had bright blue eyes and blond hair, while his lover had light green eyes and red hair. The observer was taller and a year older than his painter friend, and he had the Japanese Kanji for love tattooed onto his forehead.

And there was something else, too...

...the painter had eyebrows.

"Gaara?" Blue eyes blinked curiously at the tattooed boy, something akin to worry shining in them. The blond's hand was frozen above the easel, the paintbrush still clutched in his fingers. He furrowed his eyebrows, "You're starting to scare me a little, Gaara. Something wrong?"

"...no." The red head boy answered quietly. He watched as one of his lover's eyebrows arched.

"You look angry."

"..."

"You are, aren't you?" Naruto set his brush down and scooted over to the other boy on his hands and knees. He licked his lips, smiling, "Are you gonna tell me why?"

"...eyebrows."

"...huh?" The blond managed intelligently. He cocked his head to the side, eyebrow still raised, his face scrunched up. "What about eyebrows?"

"...I don't have any."

"Oh."

"..." Gaara watched as the emotions scrolled openly across Naruto's face: confusion, amusement, and finally, worry. "Does that matter to you, Naruto?" Gaara asked him.

"Well, no. Does it to you?"

"..."

"Okay, then it does. Hey, hey! Could you actually picture yourself with eyebrows? How about eyebrows like-like Lee's! All bushy and...stuff." Naruto stopped talking because the other boy's lips were drawn into a thin line, meaning Gaara was obviously angry at such an insinuation. "You know what? Here." The blond rinsed his brush off in the dirty water, dipped it into the red paint, then painted two smooth, red lines above his lover's eyes. "How's that?"

"It's cold...and wet." Gaara muttered.

"At least they're eyebrows." Naruto offered innocently.

"Hn." The red head leaned forward slightly to brush his lips over the other boy's, some of the paint from Naruto's brush getting on his neck. Gaara made a mental note to shave off Lee's eyebrows.


	2. Pull

Drabble Two

Title: Pull

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me, and I am not getting paid to write little dribs and drabs like this. I merely like to show off my creativity. grins

Summary: When you find out the answer, strand by strand. [ShikaIno

A/N: This one is kind've cliche, but oh well. I don't exactly know where this came from; it was just a random idea...so...

"He loves me."

"Ow..."

"He loves me not."

"Ow!"

"He loves-"

"-Ino!"

"What?" Ino looked innocently at her boyfriend, a strand of his hair wrapped around two of her fingers. He was glowering down at her, his eyebrows knitted together. "What, Shikamaru?" she asked.

"Stop pulling my hair, you troublesome girl. And you ask me why I won't take it out of my rubber band." The Jounin rolled away from her, tucking his hair away from her grasp.

Ino pouted, "But I was just seeing if you loved me." She put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it a little. "You _do_ love me, don't you, Shikamaru?"

"Troublesome girl..." He moved his arm away so she could get to his hair again. "Just don't pull any more out. I'd like to get some sleep tonight."

"Okay." Ino twisted a strand of the man's hair around her finger and tugged, "He loves me!"

"...troublesome."

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	3. Request

Drabble Three

Title: Request

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me, and I am not getting paid to write little dribs and drabs like this. I merely like to show off my creativity. grins

Summary: When you have to give in before someone else takes your place. [SasuSaku

A/N: Wow. I never expected I'd write anything SasuSaku. I'm not exactly fond of the pairing. I got this idea from reading too many Shippuden spoilers. This contains a little.

Finally, he could breathe a little. The two ANBU that had been on his tail for the last six months were gone. He had served and finished his sentence for betraying Konoha three years earlier. He wasn't entirely free from the Hokage's hold; he wasn't yet allowed outside of the village and he had no place he had to be.

Upon Sasuke's return, the Hokage sentenced him to a chakra-suppressing cell for three months. He wasn't allowed any visitors but for the two ANBU guarding the door, and they didn't talk much. Sasuke spent a large amount of his time either sleeping or meditating.

After the three months were up, the ANBU guarding his cell became his personal babysitters. The only person who had come to visit him was Kakashi, and the man hadn't said anything about his old teammates. He was curious as to what Sakura and Naruto were up to.

As usual, the streets were packed with shoppers and little kids, some of which were glaring as Sasuke walked down the crowded streets. He ignored all the looks he got and continued on his trek to Ichiraku, where he was hoping to find the rest of Team 7. All he found, though, was a restaurant void of said team. He was about to give up and go home when he was tackled from behind.

"Sasuke-teme! Where are those dudes with the masks?! Did you ditch them?!" The blond boy on top of him exclaimed loudly. His blue eyes shifted suspiciously, trying to find said dudes with the masks. "Oh, hey, why did you leave the compound?"

"Naruto!"

"Oh, no! Sakura-chan…"

"Get off of Sasuke-kun!" The pink-haired girl grabbed the boy by the back of his jacket and nearly through him in the air. "Sasuke-kun!" she squeaked. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Sakura." Sasuke lifted himself off the ground and dusted off his black pants. The girl in front of him had changed drastically. She wasn't the same Haruno Sakura from their academy or Genin days. She was a completely different person. "I was just looking for you two."

"Really?" Sakura asked. Her eyes misted over for a minute, then she shook her head. "We were just going to Ichiraku for lunch. Do you want to join us?" Her voice was so full of hope that Sasuke couldn't say no.

"Yeah." Sasuke said. He allowed himself a little smile as he followed his teammates into the stools at the front of the counter.

"Hey, old man!" Naruto said to the old man behind the counter. "Three bowls of ramen, right here! And keep 'em coming!" The blond grabbed three pairs of chopsticks and passed two down to his friends.

"So what have you two been doing?" Sasuke asked quietly. The dark-haired boy's question was directed more towards Sakura than anything. He wanted to know if the pink-haired girl was seeing anyone.

Naruto spoke first; "I've been training non-stop with ero-sennin! He's been teaching me a lot."

"Naruto's dating someone, too." Sakura cut in, giggling. Her statement sent the boy next to her into a nervous stutter, his cheeks aflame. "But it's true, isn't it?" she asked the blushing boy.

"Is it Hinata?" Sasuke asked curiously. When the blond boy shook his head, the Uchiha frowned. "If it's not Hinata, then who is it?"

Sakura started to full out laugh then, and wrapped her arms around her stomach to stop them. "You're not going to believe it, Sasuke-kun." She giggled.

"We're not dating! We're just friends!" Naruto protested weakly, just as his bowl of ramen was set out in front of him.

"Kakashi-sensei saw you kiss him! You can't claim to be 'just friends', Naruto!" Sakura told the blond boy sternly. She reached over for her own bowl of ramen.

"Wait…" Sasuke turned towards his other two teammates, his mouth hanging open. He was confused. "Kakashi-sensei caught you kissing a 'him'? Who exactly?"

"It was the Kazekage of Suna." Sakura said matter-of-factly. "Gaara-san." The pink-haired girl erupted into another fit of giggles.

"What else did I miss?" Sasuke muttered, glaring into his bowl of ramen. He didn't even _like_ ramen, so why was he starting now?

"Um, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura ventured quietly. She was folding a napkin between her fingers nervously. When the dark-haired boy gave her his full attention, she almost lost her nerve. "Sasuke-kun, tonight do you maybe want to…go on a date with me? I mean, so I can catch you up on-"

"-Sure." Sasuke met her eyes briefly, and then Naruto, slamming his hand palm open against the counter, ruined the moment.

"More ramen, old man!"

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	4. Tilt

Drabble Four

Title: Tilt

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me, and I am not getting paid to write little dribs and drabs like this. I merely like to show off my creativity. grins

Summary: When you realize that everything happens for a reason. [SasuNaru

A/N: This idea came from thinking about random, fluffy SasuNaru moments. Ah ha ha…I don't know how fluffy this will be, so tell me later.

The grass was cool against his skin but it stuck to the back of his legs. The shade of the trees kept the sun from burning his sensitive skin. It was a hot summer afternoon, but from where he lay, he could feel a cool breeze coming from the lake. He felt isolated from the rest of the world and would've liked it to stay that way, except there was a certain blond-haired nin trying poorly to mask his chakra.

"I know you're there, dobe." Sasuke grunted, not bothering to open his eyes. The Genin was loud enough for the Uchiha to know that he had jumped down from where he was hiding. The dark-haired teen was more amused than angry that his teammate had been able to hide for so long.

"How'd you know I was there, teme?" Naruto asked loudly, dropping down next to his more stoic rival. He lay back on the cool grass, half underneath the shade, and propped his arms behind his head.

"You're too obvious in that orange jumpsuit, usuratonkachi."

"You had your eyes closed!"

"That doesn't make a difference. It speaks loud enough." Sasuke snorted. He wanted so badly to reach over and smack the blond a good one, but he was just too content to move. The world around him was stifling hot and here, in the little world Naruto had just invaded, it was Heaven.

"So…why are you all the way out here?" Naruto asked casually, purposefully ignoring Sasuke's remark about his choice of clothing and settled himself further into the grass. It was so cool against his skin…and his jacket really had to come off.

"The shade is cool." Sasuke's ears perked at the soft sound of Naruto unzipping his jacket and had to fight to keep his eyes closed. It was bad enough it was above 90 degrees. Now he had to erase the mental image of a naked Naruto from his mind? Life was unfair.

"You don't have to train with Kakashi-sensei today?" The blond asked obliviously.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"…Oh."

"Oh." Sasuke teased. The sun stung his eyes as he tried to open them, tried to see the expression on his teammate's face. His vision was hazy and unfocused for the better part of three minutes and by then Naruto was grinning again. "What are you grinning at, dobe?"

"You're face is all scrunched up. It's, uh, I don't know." The blond stopped himself quickly, his cheeks coloring. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him, his eyes completely adjusted to the bright light. Naruto was blushing like there was no tomorrow. Holy…

"It's what, Naruto?" Sasuke pressed, the corners of his lips quirked. The dark-haired teen found the energy to reach over and nudge his friend's arm. He found this situation to absolutely hilarious. He had Konoha's second loudest ninja (Konohamaru had usurped the first spot) sputtering and blushing. He wished he had a camera stashed somewhere close by so he could catch this moment. "It's what, dobe?" The Uchiha snickered.

Sasuke barely had time to register the soft 'humph' Naruto made before the blond sat up and leaned over him, a pink tongue wetting equally pink lips. Said pink lips came crashing down on the Uchiha's own, making his breath catch in his throat. Why the hell was Uzumaki Naruto _kissing_ him? Why did the world feel like it tilted every time that pink tongue drew lazy patterns on his lips? And why the _hell_ was he kissing back?!

Naruto pulled back abruptly, blushing hotly, short of breath. Sasuke watched through half-lidded eyes as the blond nin sat back on his heels and said shyly, completely unlike himself, "It's cute, teme."

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	5. Extract

Drabble Five

Title: Extract

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything mentioned in this story. Masashi Kishimoto is the sole owner, and I am merely a lowly author.

Summary: When the world seems to hate you. [KakaIru

A/N: …rewritten! Completely! I didn't like how it had turned out. Confound it! Ugh. You lovely readers don't have to suffer through my pain! Onward cow!

Hatake Kakashi prided himself on keeping cool under the most disastrous situations. He could stare danger in the face and read Icha Icha Paradise as he did it. Hell, he could even stand back and watch as two of his students pounded the crap out of each other and not care. But this…! This was completely and utterly unspeakable! He could not sit back and watch as Uzumaki Naruto nearly swallowed the ring that had cost him an arm and a leg. So, with lightning fast speed, he grabbed his student roughly by the shoulders and dragged him into the kitchen of Umino Iruka's home.

"Spit it out!" Kakashi demanded in a slightly panicked whisper (slightly panicked because the calm and collected copy nin Hatake Kakashi _did not_ panic). He shook the boy some more, roughly. "Spit it out before I kill you!" The Jounin hissed.

"If you keep shaking me, I'm gonna swallow it!" The blond Chuunin yelled back. He tried to dislodge his sensei's hands, but the man had a death grip. "Kakashi-sensei! Let go and I'll give it back!"

"That ring cost me an arm and a leg! Give it back or die!" The silver-haired man seethed, completely ignoring his student's pleas of innocence. He was desperate to get that ring back. It was the only way! "Hurry up and spit it out, Naruto! You're wasting time!"

"Fine!" Naruto yelled. He spat the ring out and it hit the floor with a soft tinkling sound before…it rolled under the refrigerator.

"No!" Kakashi and Naruto yelled in unison, diving headfirst towards the fridge. It was seconds later that Iruka heard the resounding crash and ran into the kitchen. There, on the floor, was his lover and adopted son, lying in a tangled heap, knocked out…and in Kakashi's palm was a small, golden ring.

"My answer is yes." Iruka said to the silver-haired man, although he was unconscious. He'd have to tell him again after the two woke up.

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	6. Overflow

Drabble Six

Title: Overflow

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. I am but a lowly author. I've said that before, ne? Man…

Summary: When saying, "I love you," just isn't enough. [KibaHina

A/N: This turned out completely different than I'd planned, as does everything. Ah, well. Enjoy.

The water in the tub overflowed as Hinata climbed in, sloshing onto the tiled floor and soaking the clothes piled next to the sink. The tub was extremely small with two people sitting in it, but she couldn't say she cared. Kiba would make room for her; he always did.

This was his bathroom, in his house, and right now his house was empty except for them. They wouldn't have to face the repercussions of Kiba's parents lecturing them on why they shouldn't be together. They just didn't care what people told them.

Kiba had his eyes closed, the usual red triangles underneath them gone. His chest rose and fell to the rhythm of his breaths. In that moment, Hinata didn't have to question her love for him. She knew it was there, beating wildly along with her heart.

"Kiba?" Hinata muttered, leaning forward until their noses touched, her small hands resting on his shoulders. Heat filled her cheeks as she opened her mouth, her heart ready to overflow with emotion. Saying, "I love you," wasn't enough, so she pressed her lips to his, expressing so much in so little a kiss. Her hands were starting to tremble.

"I love you, too, Hinata." Kiba muttered. He pulled her into his arms, and for a while, let the warm water overflow.

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	7. Green

Drabble Seven

Title: Green

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything mentioned here. Masashi Kishimoto is the sole owner. I am but a lowly author.

Summary: When your least favorite color actually means something to you. [LeeSaku

Haruno Sakura never thought she'd see the day. She never thought she'd be looking through a wedding catalog for a _green_ wedding dress. Was she even _allowed_ to wear a green wedding dress? The tradition al color was white, so…

"But he loves the color green." Sakura said to herself. She thumbed through a couple more pages before closing the magazine in a huff. She loved Lee with every ounce of her heart, but she despised and loathed that green thing he wore. And that green thing just so happened to be his favorite leotard and color!

_Cha!_ Inner Sakura raged, pounding on an imaginary wall with her fists. Lee would be disappointed if she couldn't wear green on their wedding day! She couldn't disappoint the man she loved!

A light bulb went off in her head and she nearly choked on her tongue. It would make Lee happy, but it would completely destroy her dignity.

God, she had to find Gai-sensei for this.

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	8. Holes

Drabble Eight

Title: Holes

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belong to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. I am a very lowly author who is in need of some hugs. /cries/

Summary: When it hurts to think about what should've been. [SaiNaru

A/N: Angst-y Naruto on the way, folks. And oh, this drabble is dreary. I just hope it's good. Review and I will pass out chocolate kisses!

Blood red eyes haunted his nightmares. Sharingan eyes. Sasuke's eyes. He'd wake up screaming the dark-haired teen's name, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. There was always a rustle of fabric afterwards; a deep voice whispering soothing words in his ear. Sai's whispered words. It hurt to breathe, his throat burning from screaming so loud. Thick tears dropped down his whispered cheeks as soft lips caressed his neck, a gentle reminder of where he was. It always hurt to think about what should've been.

Sasuke should've been the one to comfort him.

Sasuke should've been the one to whisper soothing words in his ear.

Sasuke should've been the one to brush his lips over Naruto's neck, to remind him of where he was.

But as it was, Naruto was surrounded by white walls and Sasuke was dead.

There was no such thing as what should've been anymore.

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	9. Crash

Drabble Nine

Title: Crash

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything mentioned in this story. Masashi Kishimoto is the god who created it and we should all worship the ground he walks on.

Summary: When everything comes crashing down around your head because of one person. [GaaNeji, SasuNaru, LeeSaku

A/N: Woo Numbah nine! Still feeling the burn. I had trouble trying to figure out how to do this one. /groans/ Let's see how this turns out, kay? Review!!!

The first thing he realized was that he recognized the back of the head of hair in front of him. The second thing he realized was the hand that back of the familiar head of hair in front of him was holding. The third thing he realized was that he was curious as to _why_ the back of a familiar head of hair in front of him was holding _his_ hand, out in the open. _His_ fangirls were staring bloody murder at the couple! And the fourth thing he realized…

He was being stared at, too.

"Naruto-kun." Gaara ventured curiously, catching the blond boy by surprise. The blond nin looked behind him, as did Sasuke, and grinned.

"Hey, Gaara! I never thought you'd be at the Leaf Festival!" Naruto said excitedly, hardly holding back the urge to throw himself at the Kazekage. He knew Gaara wasn't the hugging type, and Sasuke would've pounded him into the dirt for hugging anybody but the Uchiha himself.

"Temari wanted to see somebody from the village. I merely wanted something to do." The Kazekage's eyes drifted down to their hands and Sasuke's own eyes followed the motion, then narrowed. "It seems your fangirls are displeased, Sasuke-kun." Gaara smiled.

"And it seems you have some of your own." Sasuke replied icily. He tightened his hold on the blond's hand, casting a glare to the three girls stationed just behind them, whispering. The girls caught his glare, 'eeped', then walked away quickly. "And one boy was well."

"He was at the Chuunin exams." Gaara cast a glance towards a longhaired boy standing next to a boy clad in green, the longhaired boy's eyes pale and with no pupils. "Hyuuga Neji, if I remember correctly. He lost to Naruto-kun in the second round."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, as if in answer. The blond boy next to him was oblivious to their conversation, opting to call the Hyuuga prodigy and the green-clad boy over to them. Neji hesitated before he walked over; clearly nervous to be standing next to the boy he'd been staring at ever since he got there.

"Hello!" The boy clad in green, also known as Rock Lee, exclaimed to the small group of boys. "Isn't this Festival just so full of Youth?!"

"Naruto-kun. Sasuke-kun. Ah, Gaara-san. It's very nice to see you." Neji greeted them quietly.

"Hey, bushy brows! Where's Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked loudly, looking around for his childhood crush. He wouldn't admit it to anybody - especially not Sasuke - but he still kind've liked her. "She promised to meet us here! She's late! Kakashi-sensei must've rubbed off on her!"

"Baka!" A shrill voice came from behind him, followed by a hand connecting with the side of his head. While he was holding his head and complaining to Sasuke about how mean Sakura was, the pink-haired girl circled around them and linked her arm with Lee's.

"Kakashi-sensei is not rubbing off on me, Naruto! I was just talking to Tsunade-sama!" Sakura yelled. She greeted everyone else quietly, and then her eyes fell on her teammate's clasped hands. She didn't say anything about it – after all, she was over Sasuke – but she worried for Naruto. The dark-haired teen's fangirls were merciless – she knew that for a fact – and they wouldn't think twice about hurting the blond nin. "That's so kawaii!" The pink-haired girl yelled suddenly, glomping her two teammates.

"Sakura-chan, I can't breathe!" Naruto gasped. When the pink-haired girl relinquished her hold, Naruto turned his head away to hide the blush he knew was creeping into his cheeks.

Gaara turned his head away from the sickeningly mushy scene and caught the eyes of the Hyuuga prodigy. He had been staring again and the Kazekage was beginning to think that he should take the situation into his own hands. So he grabbed Neji by the collar of his T-shirt and kissed him.

"Oh. My. God!" Sakura nearly swooned on the spot and she hastily pulled a camera from out of nowhere and started taking pictures. She might've been drooling, but none of her companions were willing to check. Sakura was scary when she went all fangirlish.

Naruto, on the other hand, was making 'whoop' sounds and cheered his friends on. Sasuke just sat back and tried to keep his boyfriend under control. Lee was wide-eyed and Neji…

…Well, Neji was too shocked to do anything but kiss back.

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	10. Center

Drabble Ten

Title: Center

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and not me. I am merely a fan of Naruto who is planning to usurp control of their runaway shoes. /cackles/ Just kidding about the shoes.

Summary: When everything you've ever wanted is no longer a dream, but a reality. [NaruSaku

A/N: Yay! It's number ten/Does cabbage patch/ About this pairing…not very fond of it, either. I'm more of a yaoi (sasunaru) fangirl. Ha ha. But hope this turned out okay anyway. Review!!!

He could not believe this wasn't a dream. He would not believe that Sakura, a girl that had hated him for a good part of their time together, was asking him out on a date. He was ecstatic, anxious, and overall terrified. He did not want to do anything stupid to mess this chance up.

"Naruto? You haven't given me your answer." Sakura said, blushing like she was thirteen all over again. Naruto thanked the gods that Sakura finally got over Sasuke. God rest his soul.

"Where to, then?" The blond nin asked, a little too excitedly. He was trying _not_ to scare Sakura away. "I mean, where to?" He said a little quieter. The only restaurant Naruto ever knew about was Ichiraku, and he knew the pink-haired girl didn't like ramen as much as he did. All the rest of the restaurants that were around were far too expensive for his liking.

"Ichiraku." Sakura told him without hesitation. She took the surprised Hokage by the hand and dragged him off in the direction of his 'second home'. She intended on paying this time.

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	11. Force

Drabble Eleven

Title: Force

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does. /grins/

Summary: When rivalry is what tore you apart. [InoSaku

A/N: And this is number eleven! All right…so this is the only shoujo-ai drabble that I wrote, and I don't think you could even consider it a shoujo-ai. Maybe a friendship fic. Review!!!

Sasuke had been gone for three months. She had been crying on and off for three months. All of Konoha had felt betrayed for three months. Naruto had been gone for three months training with Jiraiya-sama, determined to beat the crap out of Sasuke to bring him back. Three months…

"Three months." Sakura sighed to herself, her voice cracking slightly. She dabbed at her eyes with the moist handkerchief clutched in her fist and sighed again. She didn't have anyone to talk to that would understand what she was going through. She loved Sasuke and he just abandoned her and everyone in Konoha. Had she done something wrong to make this happen? Did Sasuke really care about revenge more than his friends?

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?" The pink-haired girl looked down from her spot in the tree to see Ino looking up at her. She wiped at her eyes again and motioned for the blonde girl to sit with her.

"Why are you up in this tree?" Ino asked, dumbfounded. She took in the handkerchief clutched between thin fingers and the tearstains down the other girl's cheeks. "Sasuke."

"Sasuke." Sakura nodded in confirmation and sniffled. She watched as the other girl deftly walked up the tree and took a seat next to her. Here was someone who would understand what was going through her mind. "Do you think we did this to him?" The pink-haired girl asked quietly.

"We didn't make Sasuke's brother murder his entire family, no. And it wasn't because of you that he left. He just had something to do and he was desperate." Ino put her arm awkwardly over her ex-best friend's shoulders and squeezed them a little. "Let's just get on with our lives. There'll be other Sasukes to fight over."

Sakura hiccuped slightly then leaned back against the trunk of the tree, taking another swipe at her eyes with the piece of cloth. Ino's arm was still awkwardly around her shoulders. "We used to be such good friends." Sakura said, albeit sadly. "How could we let one boy get in between us?"

"Who knows?" Ino leaned her head against the pink-haired one and breathed out a sigh. The sun would be setting any minute now.

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	12. Tenacity

Drabble Twelve

Title: Tenacity

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto.

Summary: When arguing is like a ritual you can't break out of. [LeeSasu

A/N: Ha ha. Weird pairing, ne? I don't read or even see many LeeSasu fics. This one is angry. Very angry. Uchiha Sasuke is mainly the angry person. Prick. But I love him! Review!!!

Sasuke was a screamer when he was angry. And he threw things. Lee found that out the hard way during their first few months living together in the Uchiha compound. The things Sasuke threw at him were mostly kunai and the dark-haired man had excellent aim. Sometimes pots or vases were flung at him, and then very large, very heavy scrolls. Apparently Sasuke's strength tripled when he was furious.

These fights lasted in random time intervals. Sometimes they lasted for a couple minutes; sometimes they lasted for days at a time. But they always, _always _ended in continuous apologies and fervent kisses in whatever places the Uchiha could reach.

Which left Lee wondering if tonight's fight would turn out different. The dark-haired man was wielding a knife – he was in the middle of making dinner – when his lover had sauntered in, full of excitement and bursting with the best of news. "I'm going on an important mission tomorrow night!"

Sasuke looked ready to slaughter him. "What the fuck are you talking about?! You can't go anywhere tomorrow! Do you have any idea what tomorrow is?!" The Uchiha shoved him against the counter and waved the knife in front of his face. "If you tell me 'no', I'll stab you!"

"Whatever tomorrow is, it can wait until I get back!" Lee shouted back, sounding just as dangerous. After all, when he was mad, he was _faster_ than his lover was. Sasuke wouldn't have enough time to stab him. "You can't tell me what to do, Sasuke!"

Sasuke went red in the face and suddenly the Sharingan was spinning in his eyes. "Well, then fuck you, Rock Lee!" The Uchiha brought his hand back and drove the knife into the cupboard behind his lover's head. With one last glare, he stomped out of the kitchen and into the bedroom they shared. Sasuke slammed the door hard behind him, and a picture that was on the wall fell and broke.

Lee stared after the Uchiha, his mouth wide open. Whatever tomorrow was, it was serious. Sasuke had never threatened him with a knife before. _Ever._

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

Lee strapped on his bag and waited for the other members of his cell to show up. He was extremely early because Sasuke had woken him up quite rudely. The Uchiha had pulled the blanket out from underneath him and Lee had toppled onto the floor. The green-clad man hadn't protested or yelled at his lover, opting instead to place a kiss on an angrily burning cheek. Sasuke had punched him in the jaw and stormed back into their bedroom.

Lee's jaw was still sore but he couldn't really worry about that at the moment. One of his teammates was already walking towards him.

"Hey, bushy brows!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically.

"Hello, Naruto!" Lee yelled back just as enthusiastically. The two shook hands and waited for the other members or their cell to show up.

"So, why are you coming on this mission when today is such an important day?" Naruto asked out of the blue. He turned his head towards Lee's, raised one of his eyebrows, and then turned away. "Did Sasuke-teme get really mad when you told him about the mission?"

"Yeah, but what was today supposed to be?"

"You mean, you don't know?" Lee shook his head and the blond's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "You're a terrible boyfriend. Today's your anniversary, remember?"

"But today's – " Lee stopped talking abruptly, his eyes going wide, mouth hanging open. "Oh, no! All this time I thought it was next week!" The green-clad man hastily apologized to Naruto, told him to cover for him, and ran all the way to the Uchiha compound. He was out of breath by the time he got the door open and barely dodged the punch that came flying his way.

"How could you forget after a year of us being together?! It was always the same day! _Always!_" The Sharingan was spinning in Sasuke's eyes again, looking all the more like the ANBU he was. The only things that killed his angry appearance were the tears shining in the corners of his eyes.

"I'm sorry! Please! Let me make it up to you!" Lee dropped onto his knees and crawled over to the dark-haired man, then grasped the ends of Sasuke's navy blue shirt in his fists. "Let me make it up to you, Sasuke! I'll do anything you want me to!"

"Anything?" Sasuke asked, the corners of his mouth quirked.

"Anything." Lee nuzzled his cheek into the fabric of the other man's shirt then lifted his head to look the Uchiha in the eyes.

"Come here, then." Sasuke grabbed the kneeling man by the hand, pulled him up, and then dragged him into the bedroom they shared. "You'd better be ready for this, Lee." He grinned.

2


	13. Sunlit

Drabble Thirteen

Title: Sun-lit

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. Please don't sue me! XD

Summary: When your whole world revolves around one smile. [ItaSasu

A/N: Hmm. I thought this was kind've cute…fluffiness rules! So, this is completely AU, which means Itachi never massacred his family, but somehow his parents are still dead and Sasuke is in his care. Review!!!

He woke up every morning before the first rays of sun peeked between the blinds. He woke up every morning with soft breaths on his neck, a head of dark hair tickling underneath his chin. After the first rays of sun had come, the mass of dark hair would come to life, dark eyes blinking sleepily up at him. A smile would follow, lit up by the sun filtering through the blinds. These were the mornings that Itachi had looked forward to when his little brother still smiled; when Sasuke was happy. He didn't smile anymore.

Mornings with Sasuke were something Itachi liked to exploit. He got up before the dark-haired teen and waited patiently in the kitchen until the Chuunin came in, hair bed-rumpled. The younger Uchiha would grumble his morning greeting then kiss his brother sloppily on the cheek. Itachi would smirk and poke fun at his little brother's tiredness just to piss off the younger boy even more. This usually landed him in a mock wrestling match on their kitchen floor – which Itachi always won anyway.

The nights were what Itachi really waited for. Sasuke was easier to be with, more docile. The two of them could curl up on the couch and watch a movie without arguing over why things happened. Sasuke didn't brood over something as trivial as Naruto winning their sparring match. Itachi could wrap his arms around his little brother's waist and not worry about Sasuke getting self-conscious. On some nights, Sasuke would be the one to initiate that first kiss, the kiss that left Itachi breathless.

And Sasuke only smiled when Itachi said, "I love you."

1


	14. Pitter

Drabble Fourteen

Title: Pitter

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am merely borrowing these characters for my own purposes.

Summary: When the sounds of little feet are in your future. [GaaLee

A/N: Another cute one! Ha! Review!!!

Rock Lee had always wanted to fill his home with mini shinobi. He pictured having a beautiful wife and dozens of little Lee's with green spandex leotards.

Sabaku no Gaara hated little kids. He pictured a life as the Kazekage of Suna with no little runts running around him like they were on a sugar high.

Even though Gaara hated the idea of adopting a young shinobi for their family, Lee went ahead and adopted another little something. It was small and had golden brown fur, with little eyes, little claws, and little teeth. Gaara nicknamed this little something 'Spazz'.

He used to hate kittens.

1


	15. Addiction

Drabble Fifteen

Title: Addiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is the sole owner.

Summary: When you know it doesn't make sense, but it feels right. [ItaNaru

A/N: I'm running out of clever things to say! Woo! And it's number fifteen! Go me! Leave me a review and cheer me on!

Uchiha Itachi was addictive, like a drug. His kisses were slow and intoxicating, like the sweetest of sake. His voice drew you in to the deepest of voids, and just when you thought you'd be able to escape, he wrapped you up in his arms; locked you up tight.

Naruto didn't know he was addicted until it was too late. He didn't know until he wanted those intoxicating kisses every night, and those arms. He didn't know until he could hear himself screaming the Uchiha's name into a downy pillow every other night. He just didn't know.

Sasuke said it was destructive for one thing to have so much power over him. But what did the teme know? He was completely addicted to the taste of power; how was that different?

And besides, he never said he didn't like it.

1


	16. Honey

Drabble Sixteen

Title: Honey

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. If I did, though, there would be a lot of yaoi and sasunaru involved. /grins/ But Naruto is awesome the way it is.

Summary: When being together is the only thing that keeps you sane. [SasuNaru

A/N: Ah…I love sasunaru. It's my favorite pairing. Have I said that before/scratches head/ I can't remember. So, this one is kind've hentai-ish, depending on how far I go. At any rate, please review!!!

He lay tangled in satin bed sheets, listening to his lover's soft breaths. He counted down in his head the time he had left to spend with the blond laying half on top of him.

"Twenty-five minutes." Sasuke said to himself. He would have to leave the blond again in the next twenty-five minutes. The dark-haired teen rolled onto his side, arms slipping around Naruto's thin waist. The Chuunin groaned softly and buried his head in between Sasuke's shoulder and the pillow. "I'm sorry I have to leave you again." The Uchiha whispered in the smaller teen's ear.

As of late, the Hokage had been piling missions on him. Sasuke had a feeling it was her way of saying, "Naruto is like a son to me, so keep your filthy hands off!" He didn't blame the woman at all; The Hokage probably thought their relationship was dangerous to them and the people around them.

"Eighteen minutes." Sasuke breathed into Naruto's hair. He stroked his fingers down the blond's back and leaned forward slightly to nibble on a tanned ear. The dark-haired boy wasn't aiming to do anything more than that, but the boy underneath him shifted slightly, bringing their hips dangerously close together. Even through the fabric of their pajama pants, Sasuke's skin felt like it had caught fire. "Shit." The Uchiha carefully moved his hips back without breaking his hold around the other's waist.

"Teme." Sasuke froze, afraid that he had woken the blond up, but his lover only went back to snoring gently. The Uchiha mentally sighed; Naruto was still asleep.

"Dobe." he muttered fondly. He allowed himself a small smile as the peacefully sleeping face scrunched up cutely, as if the blond disagreed with something in his dream. Sasuke found that watching his lover sleep was quite the entertainment; Naruto made many funny faces in his sleep.

He was brought crashing back to reality when he felt the other boy's hips nudge his once again. This time, though, there was an insistent something pressing into his thigh. It was then that he realized _why_ Naruto had been making those funny faces.

Sasuke's cheeks flooded with heat. "You're awake, aren't you?" The Uchiha growled softly, his hand flitting between the blond's legs to massage the growing bulge in his pajama pants. The dark-haired teen was rewarded with a soft call of his name and Naruto bucking against his hand.

"You started it, teme." The kyuubi-vessel ground out between clenched teeth. He reached out to dig his nails into Sasuke's forearms. "You know what that does to me."

"What? This?" The Uchiha leaned forward again, darting his tongue out and over the other boy's earlobe. This time he was rewarded with a hiss of pleasure. He smirked as he leaned up to place a teasing kiss on the tip of his lover's nose. "I only have ten minutes left, usuratonkachi."

"And that's plenty of time." Naruto grabbed the dark-haired teen by his wrists and flipped their positions so he was straddling Sasuke's thighs. He pinned the pale arms above the other's head and leaned down to capture his lips in a heated kiss. The Uchiha happily let the other boy take advantage of him, settling into the kiss and letting Naruto's tongue roam his mouth. There just hadn't been enough time lately to just be together and Sasuke was feeling almost light-headed as Naruto tugged on the waistband of his pajama pants. "These need to come off."

"By all means." The dark-haired teen lifted his hips so the other boy could pull the offending article of clothing down and off. Now only his boxers glinted in the faint moonlight filtering through their blinds. "What about those, dobe? Are those coming off, too?" Sasuke asked huskily.

"Not yet." Naruto placed warm kisses down the other boy's neck, nipping slightly where his neck met his shoulder, and continued downwards until he reached a dusky nipple. He gave it an experimental lick and was rewarded with a sharp gasp from his usually stoic boyfriend. The blond smirked through his ministrations; glad to have Sasuke so distracted, and pushed his hand underneath the dark-haired teen's boxers. The tips of his fingers brushed hard skin and the Uchiha's hips arched off the bed.

Sasuke tipped his head back to glance at the clock at the same time Naruto decided it was time to bite down a little too hard on his nipple. The dark-haired teen yelped and tried to hit him on the head. "Don't bite my nipple off, usuratonkachi!"

"Not my fault you weren't paying attention. You're just – ack!" The blond found himself sprawled out on his back, a more than hot and bothered Uchiha Sasuke staring down at him, eyes narrowed. "It was a joke, teme! Don't get so freaking pissed!" Naruto hissed. He was going to say something else, but a hot, eager mouth claimed his and all thought process shut down.

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

"He's late." A pony-tailed Jounin said lazily. He was standing at the village gates with two other Jounin: Rock Lee and Hyuuga Neji. They didn't look very pleased themselves, although Lee was grinning like a maniac. "This is very troublesome." Shikamaru sighed.

"He's most likely with Naruto!" Lee exclaimed excitedly. The two teens next to him shuddered at the mental image and paled when they heard a scream of, "Teme!" come from a certain compound close by. Sasuke came running out of his house like his ass was on fire. Immediately behind him was a red-faced, half-dressed Uzumaki Naruto, soon-to-be-Uchiha.

"Oh, god, here we go again." Neji groaned.

"So troublesome."

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	17. Cover

Drabble Seventeen

Title: Cover

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When your curiosity gets the best of you. [KakaSasu

A/N: And this is number seventeen. I got the inspiration to write this because Sasuke isn't very curious, is he? And I want to know what's under Kakashi-sensei's mask. Review!!!

He had the perfect plan to get Kakashi-sensei to take off his mask. It was simple really. Sasuke was going to present the man with the newest release of _Icha Icha Paradise_. If that didn't get the Jounin to take off his mask, then the Uchiha was at a loss for what to do.

Sasuke was three years older than he had been the first time he attempted to peek underneath Kakashi-sensei's mask. His other two teammates, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, had been the ones to help and the idea was solely Naruto's scheme. They didn't get very far because Ino and her team interrupted them.

So Sasuke was going to play dirty. He cornered the silver-haired man in the alley, although the Uchiha wasn't sure 'cornered' was the correct term. Kakashi just stood there and waited for his student to say whatever was on his mind. Then Sasuke put on a fake smile.

"I have a present for you." The dark-haired teen had the book hidden behind his back, but he was sure Kakashi could've just used his ninjutsu to get behind him.

"And what would that be, hm?" The older man drawled. He tucked his hands into both of his pocket s and regarded his student carefully. Sasuke looked like he was up to something. "Ah, Sasuke-kun, why aren't you chasing Naruto throughout the village looking for your hitai-ate?"

The dark-haired teen smirked, "I gave it to Sakura so she could hide it."

"Ah." Kakashi raised one of his eyebrows and took a couple steps closer to his student. "Tell me, Sasuke. What's hidden behind your back?"

"Oh, that? I'll only tell you if I get to see what's under your mask." The Uchiha smirked at the taller man, his eyes issuing a challenge. Kakashi, however, didn't rise to the bait.

"No matter. I'll just see for myself." With lighting fast speed, he appeared behind the teen in a whirl of leaves and sand, then slid the tiny orange book out of his grasp. "My, my. The newest volume? How did you ever get your hands on this when you're still so young?"

"Naruto." Sasuke ground out between clenched teeth. He was angry that the silver-haired man didn't take his bait, but he knew that was one thing he had expected. "What's under your mask?" The Uchiha demanded, whirling on Kakashi with a renewed anger.

Before Sasuke had time to even blink, Kakashi pulled down his mask, kissed the teen full on the lips, and had his mask back up in a matter of seconds. "Tell Naruto I said 'yo'." With that short message, the Jounin walked back into the streets, leaving a very confused and stunned Sasuke behind.

1


	18. Changes

Drabble Eighteen

Title: Changes

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you go home and everything has changed. [LeeSaku, NejiNaru

A/N: Number eighteen is now here. Muhahahaha! This is where Sasuke comes back to Konoha, and even though he expected things to change, this wasn't what he had in mind. Review!!!

When Sasuke returned home, he knew things were going to be different. He knew the people of Konoha would never trust him completely and he knew he had been replaced. The Uchiha could've lived with those little facts, but not the ones he learned a couple weeks later. These were the little facts that blew his mind; the ones he refused to believe. But they were all true.

First, he found out that Sakura was dating none other than Bushy Brows himself. It came as a great surprise, seeing as the pink-haired kunoichi had loved Sasuke for so long and she had never liked Lee. Sasuke guessed that Sakura just got tired of waiting.

The second fact left him stuttering. It was one of those days where the sun mocked his existence, and he saw Naruto with the Hyuuga prodigy. The dark-haired teen thought nothing of it, until the two boys shared a kiss underneath one of the trees lining the street. Sasuke had vaulted himself into the closest one, masked his chakra, and tried to keep his heart from jumping out of his chest. Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto…?

Just how much had changed while he was gone?

1


	19. Grasp

Drabble Nineteen

Title: Grasp

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto.

Summary: When you want to know why he thinks of you as a child. [KakaSasu

A/N: Almost to the end, folks. It's crunch time. Review!!!

Kakashi was never too rough and always gave Sasuke enough time to catch his breath in between thrusts. The Uchiha had no idea how the older man even put up with that; didn't Kakashi ever think: 'What the hell am I doing?' Sasuke wasn't a little kid. But that had probably never crossed the Jounin's mind.

"You don't have to be gentle, you know." Sasuke said gruffly, one night when they were wrapped up in the silken sheets of his old sensei's bed. His hair was sticky with sweat and so was his stomach, but that was for a completely different reason altogether. "I'm not fragile, so I won't break."

The older man didn't say anything, and his breathing was slow and relaxed, so the dark-haired teen figured Kakashi had fallen asleep.

"Bastard." The Uchiha growled under his breath, all the while scooting closer to the Jounin and wrapping himself in the older man's warmth. "I am _not_ fragile…"

Hidden from view, in the teen's dark hair, was Kakashi's fond smile.

1


	20. Blood

Drabble Twenty

Title: Blood

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When your ties to each other run too deep. [NejiHina

A/N: Numbah twenty! WoOt wOot! It's time to par-tay! Enjoy this mini chapter and review!!!

They were both part of the same family, yet that didn't stop them. Neji pushed her to fight harder; to be something he could love more than anything else. Hinata didn't mind all that much. She was never pushed too much or too far and the Hyuuga prodigy always took care of her.

People questioned them all the time. Hinata and Neji would walk the streets of Konoha, hands clasped, and people would just stare. Nobody would say anything and the two Hyuuga children liked it to stay that way. Besides, it wasn't like they ever listened.

It was never about the blood.

1


	21. Rush

Drabble Twenty-one

Title: Rush

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you just want him to know everything you're thinking. [NaruHina

A/N: I have nothing clever to say, so just review!!!

She sat and watched as he slurped up his noodles, all blond hair, blue eyes, and whiskered cheeks. Naruto was on his third bowl, and Hinata was just glad to be there with him. Granted, he couldn't talk much with his mouth full and he was the one that wanted to know everything she was thinking, yet he didn't say much. The Hyuuga girl took that as her cue to start talking.

"Ne, N-Naruto-kun?" The pale-eyed girl ventured quietly, gazing down into her bowl of ramen. It was still half-full, but she didn't have much of an appetite. She didn't like ramen and yet, somehow, Naruto had talked her into trying a bowl. "D-Do you want my bowl, too?" she asked.

"You're not hungry?" Naruto asked, eyebrows raised. He pulled the bowl over to himself and swallowed what was left in his own.

"N-No, but, I-I have to tell you something." A blush rose to full force on Hinata's cheeks, and she ducked her head to hide it. She was still so shy around the blond nin.

"It's okay; I know." Naruto's fox-like grin flashed in the dim light of the setting sun, and before Hinata could murmur an, "Okay," Naruto had pressed a kiss to her cheek.

1


	22. Dreamscape

Drabble Twenty-two

Title: Dreamscape

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to the ever-illustrious mangaka Masashi Kishimoto. We should worship the ground he walks on.

Summary: When it's everything but reality. [ZabuHaku

White, fluffy clouds surrounded him, cushioning his body so he wouldn't fall through to the ground. The wind pulled at his clothes, whipped his long bangs across his face. He was in a dreamscape; the one place he could go to and make up his own world. But it wasn't really, no matter how may times he wished it was. Things happened in this dreamscape that didn't happen in reality.

He could bring back the dead; dance with people he'd lost long ago. He could have conversations with warlords and review the history of Japan. He could even bring back a loved one, if for only but a moment.

"Zabuza-san…"

"…Haku…"

And it's everything but reality.

1


	23. Flash

Drabble Twenty-three

Title: Flash

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto. I claim no ownership whatsoever.

Summary: When you're afraid of the memories slipping. [NaruSasu

_Click!_

A flash went off in the dimly lit room, burning the sleepy eyes of the dark-haired teen lying sprawled on the large bed. A blond boy dressed only in an orange pair of boxers, littered with ramen cups, stood at the foot of said large bed, camera in hand. His tongue poked out between his lips, and he stared intently at the image in the screen of the tiny digital camera.

"You should've smiled, teme." Naruto said simply. He fiddled with the switch on the camera, turned it towards himself, and pushed a button.

_Click!_

A picture of his face showed on the screen, his tongue sticking out. He smiled at the image and showed it to the stoic boy lying on the bed.

"We should get a picture of us together." The blond crawled onto the bed and placed himself over the dark-haired teen's hips. He could tell that Sasuke still wasn't fully awake. Naruto grinned to himself, then pointed the camera at the Uchiha's face.

_Click!_

"AH! Too bright! Dammit, Naruto!" Sasuke screeched. He pushed the laughing blond off him, then ducked his head under the covers. "Who the hell gave you that camera?!"

"Sakura-chan gave it to _us_!"

"Get rid of it!" Sasuke tried to kick at the blond nin, but his head was still ducked under the covers, and said blond nin was sitting on his legs.

"No." Naruto ripped the covers out of the Uchiha's fists and leaned forward to kiss the taller boy on the mouth, camera clutched protectively against his chest. The little device had stolen a place in Naruto's heart and he planned on using it to its fullness. "As I was saying: I want a picture of us together."

"I hate getting my picture taken. And, _why_?" Sasuke tried to dislodge Naruto from his legs, but the blond just scooted up further, placing himself on the Uchiha's hips again. "Get off, dobe. I have to take a shower. You know I have to go meet with Kakashi-sensei."

"Not until you take a picture with me." The blond leaned forward until the tip of his nose was against Sasuke's, and let a slow grin spread across his mouth. He took these pictures because, at any moment, their lives could be over. He wanted to preserve their memories.

_Click!_

"Stop it! That thing's bright!" Sasuke shoved at him again, knocking the camera out of the shorter teen's hands. It hit the floor with a soft _thump!_

_Click!_

"Sasuke, you bastard! You broke it!" There was a little mock wrestling on the large bed before both boys hit the floor as well, Sasuke's arm sweeping out to hit the camera.

_Click!_

Naruto lunged for the camera and checked the screen for the picture. There, on the floor, were the two of them, tangled in the sheets from the bed.

And Sasuke was blushing.

1


	24. Spark

Drabble Twenty-four

Title: Spark

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is the sole owner.

Summary: When the warmth is something you crave. [NaruSasu

"Dammit." Sasuke hissed, his breath coming out in white puffs in front of his face. The gloves on his hands didn't help the cold from numbing his fingers, and the blanket wrapped around his shoulders didn't stop the shivers from traveling through his body. He wanted so much to just crawl into their tent and sleep, but it was his turn to guard the camp. In an hour's time, it would be Naruto's turn.

Kakashi and Naruto were asleep in the same tent, while Sakura had her own, for obvious reasons. Sasuke didn't find it fair, because he would've liked to have his own tent as well; Naruto just moved around too much. But he was so warm. So what, if the Uchiha had curled up against his teammate more than once? It wasn't like the Kyuubi-vessel was going to find out.

Never mind about having his own tent.

Sasuke sneezed, and tried not to wipe his nose on his glove. It was disgusting when he had to keep thinking about what he had done. But it was _so damn cold_.

The dark-haired teen shivered again, and grabbed the edges of the blanket, pulling it tighter about his shoulders. He definitely _did not_ want Naruto out here and he definitely _did not_ want to bury himself in completely tanned, warm arms. That was beneath him. But, as he shivered again, his resolve nearly crumbled. He found himself wanting to just go and wake the blond nin up.

A burst of familiar chakra reached his senses and another figure hopped onto the large branch he was seated on. He didn't have to turn his head to acknowledge the other's presence.

"What are you doing up, usuratonkachi?" Sasuke asked coolly, schooling his face so it wouldn't show how cold he was. Instead of an answer, warm fingers brushed his cheek, and he shivered out of reflex.

"I didn't have anything to keep me warm." Naruto answered simply. His voice was husky, sounding alien to his teammate's ears, and Sasuke was sure his heart had stopped beating.

"That tent is heated." The Uchiha said through clenched teeth, trying not to let the shivers take control of him again. He didn't want to seem vulnerable in front of his rival.

The branch dipped slightly as the blond moved, situating himself between the dark-haired boy's legs. Naruto pulled the blanket from Sasuke's hands and wrapped it around his shoulders, bringing them closer together. He could feel the barely restrained shivers traveling through the other boy's arms.

"That's not what I meant, teme." Sasuke could feel Naruto's warmth breath on his lips, and he wanted desperately to lean over and steal the warmth from the blond. He knew he was drifting into strictly forbidden thoughts, but he was too cold to care. "You're shivering." Naruto said softly. He scooted further into the circle of the Uchiha's legs, his knees bumping the other's thighs.

Warmth flooded his cheeks as Naruto took his hands and placed them in his own, kissing the tips of his fingers and blowing on them. The gloves had somehow disappeared and unknowingly floated to the ground as Sasuke surpressed another shiver, this one not from the cold but something else entirely.

"Guess I'll just have to keep you warm, dobe." The dark-haired teen said without thinking. The boy in front of him snorted and brought Sasuke's hands down to rest in his lap. Sasuke's cheeks flushed crimson as he imagined what he could've been touching.

His nerves short-circuited when soft lips claimed his, sending warmth rushing to every frozen part of his body. His hands clenched in orange material as his lips parted to deepen the kiss, Naruto's tongue running over his gums and the roof of his mouth. Sasuke moaned into other boy's mouth, surprised at himself for being vocal then moaned again, louder, when he realized that Naruto liked it.

They spent the rest of Sasuke's watch keeping warm.

1


	25. Fate

Drabble Twenty-five

Title: Fate

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you just want to relax. [GaaNaru

The colored pictures flashed before their eyes and both occupants blinked dully as the rating of the movie showed up on the screen. It was rated R, with lots of blood and nudity; it was basically the type of movie that Gaara loved, and one that freaked the hell out of Naruto. The blond wouldn't have spent his day off any other way, even if the movie was insanely bloody.

"Why do you watch these movies?" Naruto asked the redhead after the movie had ended. His fingers were sore from how hard they'd been clenched in his boyfriend's arm.

Gaara smirked, "Because it's entertainment, Naruto-kun." He grabbed the blond's hand and walked him through the theatre, earning stares from the people that passed by. These people all knew who they were, and hated them for it. The Kazekage suddenly spun him around, their lips coming into contact and Gaara dared the moviegoers close by to say something.

Like always, they didn't.

1


	26. Safe

Drabble Twenty-six

Title: Safe

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you don't want to lose him again. [NaruSasu

A/N: This little thing may contain a few spoilers for Shippuden. Just some. And if you don't know which ones, then just guess. Review!!!

Naruto's breath came in sharp bursts and red stained his vision. Sakura was next to him crying, but at the same time telling him soothing words to calm Kyuubi. The blond's eyes were narrowed at the blonde women sitting at the desk in front of him, her feet up on the pristine wood surface.

"Uchiha Sasuke was a missing nin and he killed a teacher. He must suffer the most severe punishment we have: death." Tsunade said. Naruto was going to protest, but the Hokage put her hand up in front of him. "He made the decision and he must suffer the consequences."

"But death?!" The kyuubi-vessel exclaimed, breaking his arm from Sakura's grip and slamming his hands down onto Tsunade's desk. The whisker marks on his cheeks darkened and his fingernails grew longer, biting into the wood of her table. "He's been through too much already."

"Naruto, please." Sakura sobbed, reaching out to once again grasp his arm. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand then forced a weak smile. "It's going to be okay. Sasuke-kun is…he…he has to face the consequences of his actions. You know that."

"No. No, no, no! I won't let you kill him!" The blond snarled through clenched teeth, the points of sharp canines peaking out between his lips. There was a low growl coming from his stomach that made Sakura flinch slightly, terrified. She grasped his arm tighter as he continued. "I spent too much time trying to get him back and I won't let him go without a fight!"

"Listen, brat-" The door to her office slammed before she could get a word out, and she growled low in her throat. She almost forgot that the remaining members of team 7 were still in front of her. She looked up and glared in the direction of the door.

"Maybe he just needs some time, Tsunade-sama." Sakura said weakly. She swiped her hand across her eyes once more before heading over to the door and leaving, Sai following closely at her heels.

The Hokage leaned back in her chair and gently massaged her temples. "That damn brat is about getting on my last nerve." She murmured to the empty room.

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

He ran all the way from Hokage tower and didn't stop for anything. He was an orange blur in the tree branches that nobody could see. He was angry, exhausted, frustrated, and he wanted so badly to go and see Sasuke. But knowing the Hokage, she wouldn't let him.

Naruto landed on a particularly wobbly tree branch and slid down against the trunk of the tree, breathing heavily. A trail of hot tears trailed down his cheeks, dripping from his chin and disappearing into the collar of his jacket. He wiped at them with an angry fist, only causing a fresh batch to start.

So he started to run again. The tears just wouldn't stop, and he knew the only way to make them was to save Sasuke. He had to, even if it meant breaking some laws. The Gondaime Hokage wouldn't hear what he had to say anyway; that much was clear. What was he going to do?

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

The door slammed open and Tsunade looked up to see the 'brat' she had been thinking about. His fists were clenched at his sides and there were tear stains on his cheeks. Tsunade leaned forward in her chair, her mouth hanging slightly open. It was all so clear to her now.

"I'll make a deal with you, Tsunade-baa-chan. If you-"

"-Does Sakura know?" The Hokage countered, her hands resting on the table as she stood. She grinned wickedly down at the boy she could consider her son, although he was a little annoying. The boy looked more than a little confused.

"Does Sakura know what?" he asked, his head tilted up at her questioningly. He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes. The hag was looking at him weirdly.

"I'm going to put the keys to Sasuke's cell on the table and turn my back. You'd better not take them and run, brat, or I'll chase you." Tsunade did just what she said she would, and waited for Naruto to take the keys from her desk. Five minutes passed with no movement. Growling, she turned around and glared at the blond still standing in front of her. "Take the keys, baka! Unlock your little boyfriend's cell! And why you're at it, tell Sakura that you're in love with her biggest crush! You make everything so difficult!"

Naruto turned a whole new shade of red and hastily grabbed the keys before the blonde women could say anything more about his 'boyfriend'. It was bad enough that she had seen right through him.

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

The key slid into the lock, and with a soft _click_, the door slid open. It was dark inside and Naruto could barely make out the hunched figure sitting in the far corner of the small room. Said hunched figure looked up, Sharingan eyes ablaze.

"Naruto…" Sasuke muttered, something akin to a smile flitting across his lips. It was gone in a second, though; to be replaced by the Uchiha's patented glare.

The door slid shut and the two were cast into perfect darkness. Naruto felt his way to the light hanging from the ceiling, reached up to pull the cord, and lit up the dank room. The dark-haired teen shrank away from the light, blocking his eyes with his hands.

"I need to talk to you." Naruto told him. He took a seat on the dirty floor in front of the other boy, his legs folded underneath him. He had given the keys to the two ANBU guarding the door, and now his hands felt as empty as his chest. But Sasuke just looked blankly at him, not caring that the person he had tried to kill three times was sitting and having a civil, one-sided conversation with himself. The only thing he _did_ care about was that the boy he was possibly in love with – and the boy that had tried to save him – was having a civil, one-sided conversation with himself. "Are you listening to me, teme?!" The blond yelled.

"Hn." Sasuke stared evenly at his old teammate, wanting to tell him how much he had screwed up, but his mouth and brain wouldn't agree on anything. So instead, he said, "Looks like you couldn't save me, usuratonkachi." And Sasuke knew he had said the wrong thing, because Naruto winced and tried to hide the tears that were shining in the corners of his eyes.

"At least I tried." Came the soft reply. Naruto moved forward, cupping either side of Sasuke's face in his hands, and kissed him hesitantly. The blond waited for Sasuke to push him away, but when the dark-haired boy began to kiss back, Naruto surged forward.

Oo Oo Oo Oo Oo

The Gondaime Hokage stood outside the door, listening to the muffled sounds of their voices. The two ANBU guarding the door looked a little pale, but you couldn't really tell; they wore masks. The one nearest to the door spoke up first.

"Hokage-sama, should we stop them?"

"No, " Tsunade smiled, "let them celebrate Sasuke's yet-to-be-announced pardon."

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	27. Clutch

Drabble Twenty-seven

Title: Clutch

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you don't want to let go. [NaruSasu

Sasuke's hitai-ate was clutched in his hands as he slept because nobody wanted to take it from him. He had just gone through something traumatic and the single headband seemed to calm him better than any soothing words Kakashi cooed in his ears.

Naruto's wounds had healed quickly and now the blond nin was fighting to get out of his own mind. The Gondaime Hokage had said that Naruto had used a large amount of chakra, and almost dying had sent a shock to his system. Now the kyuubi-vessel had to sleep it off.

Kakashi wandered out of the room and peered down the hallway. Sakura was late to check in with him. The silver-haired Jounin sighed heavily, and turned back into the room. What he saw when he turned back were the open and alert blue eyes of his student.

Kakashi nearly died of relief. "Glad to see you up and alert, Naruto." The man pulled a chair up to his student's bed and sat down gracefully. The Genin's eyes followed his every move, and although Naruto was conscious, his sensei didn't think he was completely there. "Are you okay, Naruto?" The man asked.

Naruto shook his head then motioned towards the hitai-ate with his eyes. "I wasn't holding on tight enough. Sasuke got away." The blond said, his voice cracking slightly. He turned his head into the pillow while the hot tears trailed down his bandaged cheek.

"Go back to sleep, Naruto. I'll bring you something to eat later." Kakashi wiped the tears from his student's eyes and stood up all in one motion. When he reached the door, he turned back to say something, but his voice died in his throat. It was that moment that he vowed to kill Sasuke whenever the Uchiha returned.

Naruto had his lips pressed against the scratch that ran across Sasuke's hitai-ate, a bitter smile formed on his lips as if to say, "I'll still love you even if you hate me."

Kakashi felt his heart break.

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	28. Fallen

Drabble Twenty-eight

Title: Fallen

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you do something before thinking. [SasuNaru

Naruto happily slurped his ramen, not noticing the drop of broth slowly traveling down his lip. Sasuke watched with a mild fascination as it ran down his chin, and then his neck, and finally disappeared into the collar of his teammate's jacket. A minute later there was another drop and Sasuke scowled at it. How could Naruto not feel that thing going down his neck?

"Oi, dobe. You've got broth on your chin." Sasuke told him. The blond stopped in his slurping to stare quizzically at the dark-haired boy, then took the bowl away from his mouth.

"Then I'll just wipe it off." And just like that, Naruto wiped his chin with the back of his hand, and started slurping again. Sasuke growled in annoyance; didn't the blond ever hear of napkins?

A couple minutes went past without any incident. Sasuke finished off his ramen while Naruto started on a second bowl. The Uchiha stared at his friend incredulously, wondering if the blond ever choked while he ate, when a little drop of broth making its way down Naruto's lip caught his attention. He watched it with narrowed eyes as it rolled down his chin and suddenly, without thinking, leaned forward to catch it with his tongue.

Sasuke licked a trail up his teammate's neck, cleaning up the sticky trail the broth had left behind. He licked along Naruto's jaw line and trailed the tip of his tongue up to the other boy's lips. He didn't give anything a thought, even as he ran his tongue along the soft pink of the blond's lips. Only when he had cleaned off every droplet did he pull away and finally _think_.

Naruto didn't miss a beat. "You know, if you wanted to kiss me, you could've just said so."

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	29. Silence

Drabble Twenty-nine

Title: Silence

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When you just want him to shut up. [ShikaNaru

It was known everywhere that Uzumaki Naruto loved to talk, be it conversation or trash talking his opponents. Some people enjoyed the banter between Uchiha Sasuke and him, seeing as the blond nin was almost always outsmarted, but other times it was annoying. It was just the way he shouted out people's names, or the way he shouted, "Believe it!" after every sentence. For people like Shikamaru, it just drove him crazy.

"I'm going to become Hokage, Shikamaru! Believe it!" The Jounin was ready to cut off his ears. Hearing that phrase three times a day was just unnecessary. So the pony tailed boy took matters into his own hands.

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura yelled, just like Shikamaru expected she would. Sasuke just sat back and smirked, like always, and Naruto pouted at them both.

Shikamaru had to fight down the shouts of, "Cute!" in his mind.

"Ah, Sakura-chaaaaan! Why'd you have to hit me!" The blond whined, just like he usually did. He put his hands behind his head and glared at the dark-haired teen next to him. "And stop laughing, jerk!"

"You deserved it, stupid." Sasuke retorted coolly.

_God, here comes the troublesome tirade,_ Shikamaru mentally groaned.

"I'm not stupid, jerk! You've got a stick shoved so far up your ass, you can't see straight!" Naruto shouted at the Uchiha, his fists flailing in the air. Shikamaru stopped walking to watch the exchange, waiting for his moment to interrupt the two. It came after Naruto tried to punch his teammate.

There were three collective gasps from the people around him as he grabbed Naruto around the waist, and kissed him hard. It had prevented him from talking, but now he was getting weird looks. Ino seemed to be staring death at the kyuubi-vessel more than anything.

"What the hell was that, Shikamaru?!" Naruto yelled, spitting furiously on the ground. The Jounin might've been mistaken, but he thought he saw Naruto blush.

"I was just shutting you up. You're so troublesome." Shikamaru shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away like nothing ever happened.

1


	30. End

Drabble Thirty

Title: End

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

Summary: When those last moments are all you have. [ZabuHaku

A/N: This takes place when Haku dies. /Sniffles/ Poor Haku…These are pretty much the inner thoughts of Zabuza, which are completely made up by me. Review!!!

The snow blanketed the grass, painting the ground white. It fell on the tip of his nose, and stuck to his eyelashes, making it hard for him to blink. His hand was resting on a pale, blood-smeared cheek, his thumb brushing over cold lips. He could feel his heart slowing in his chest.

"Haku…" he whispered, his voice hoarse from the effort. He coughed up the blood in his throat then shifted to look into lifeless brown eyes. They were still so pure. "I'm sorry you had to suffer." Zabuza swallowed hard, his breaths becoming shallower by the second. His vision was starting to blur. "I-I hope I can be with you wherever you may end up."

And as the world went dark around him, he heard Haku whisper his name.

The snow kept falling.

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